Running board saddle construction



@ E G@ -v Sept. 27, 1938. D. w. HAWKSWORTH RUNNING BOARD SADDLE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 15, 1937 INVEN TOR DAVID w. HAWKSWORTH.

' ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNlTED STATES T OFFICE PAT David W. Hawksworth,

Birmingham, Mich, as-

signor to Chicago-Hutchins Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application June 15, 1937, Serial No. 148,420

Claims.

The invention relates to saddles for supporting running boards on railway cars, and consists in the novel construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a cross section through the roof of a railway car to which my improved saddle is applied;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the saddle bracket;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing a slightly modified construction;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the bracket.

My improved saddle is applicable to various types of car roofs, but as illustrated in Figure 1 the roof A is of the so-called two-plane type. This is formed of adjacent roofing sheets A, A provided at their meeting edges with vertical flanges A welded to each other, the adjacent portion of the sheet being preferably upwardly ofiset as indicated at A My improved saddle comprises a top plate B preferably formed of pressed sheet metal and having a depressed central portion B forming a reinforcing rib, also depending fianges B at opposite ends thereof. The plate is further provided with a series of apertures B for receiving the bolts C that secure the running boards D.

The plate B is located above the ridge of the upper plane A of the roof and is supported by brackets of the following construction. These brackets E are preferably formed of pressed sheet metal having a portion E located in the meeting plane of the adjacent roofing sheets A, A and inserted in recesses pressed into the flanges A Above the portion E is a portion E of slightly greater width leaving therebetween a shoulder E for resting on the upper surface of the roof. Above the portion E is a laterally and obliquely offset portion E" rounding into a horizontal portion E At its outer end the portion E is extended having an obliquely inclined portion E a horizontal portion E and a down-turned portion E". There is also, preferably an obliquely extending flange E for reinforcing the upwardly offset portion. A pair of these bracket members E is used for each saddle, the brackets being arranged upon opposite sides of the ridge and of sufficient height to support the member B above the upper plane of the roof. The upwardly offset portions E are also sufficiently above the portions E to provide clearance for the depressed rib B in the member B. The member B is secured to the brackets by bolting the depending flanges 13 thereof to the depending flanges E" of the brackets, as indicated at F. The brackets are rigidly secured to the roof by welding, as indicated at G.

The construction as above described can be manufactured at low cost, the two bracket members being exact duplicates, and as arranged have their laterally offset portions extending in opposite directions. The construction also has the advantage that it does not form pockets for the lodgement of cinders. A further advantage is that the length of weld required for attaching and sealing the two brackets is very much less than would be required were the entire width of the saddle to be welded to the roof- In Figure 4 a modified construction is shown 15 for attaching the brackets to a non-welded roof.

In this the adjacent roofing sheets H and H are provided with upstanding flanges and a seam cap I covering the same and riveted thereto. The brackets E are attached to the side of the seam 2o cap by rivets J, but otherwise the construction is the same as previously described.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A running board saddle comprising a pair of spaced members adapted to be separately secured to the roof on opposite sides of the ridge thereof, each member comprising a vertically extending portion located in a plane transverse to the roof, a laterally offset portion and a horizontally extending portion which is symmetrical with respect to the plane of said vertical portion, and a plate member extending between and secured to said bracket members having its opposite end portions supported thereon.

2. A running board saddle comprising a pair of like bracket members adapted to be separately attached to the roof on opposite sides of the ridge, each bracket member having a vertically extending portion in a plane transverse to the roof, a laterally offset portion above said vertical 40 portion and merging into a horizontally extending portion which is symmetrical with respect to the plane of said vertical portion, the outer end of said horizontal portion being upwardly offset and terminating in a down-turned flange, a pressed sheet metal plate supported on said bracket members and extending therebetween transversely of the roof, said plate having a depressed reinforcing rib and horizontal portions at opposite ends thereof which rest upon the upwardly offset portions of said bracket members thereby providing clearance for said depressed rib, said plate also having down-turned end flanges adjacent to the down-turned flanges of said bracket members and secured thereto.

3. The combination with a car roof having adjacent roofing sheets with turned flanges welded to each other, of a running board saddle comprising a pair of bracket members spaced from each other on opposite sides of the ridge of the roof, each bracket member having a portion extending vertically in the meeting plane of said roofing sheets with its lower end engaging a recess pressed into the flanges of said sheets and being secured by welding, said bracket also having a portion above said vertical portion laterally oflset from the plane thereof and return-bent to form a horizontally extending portion, said horizontally extending portion having its outer end extended to form an upwardly offset portion terminating in a down-turned flange, and a pressed sheet metal plate to which therunning boards are directly attached, said plate extending between and being supported upon said bracket members having down-turned end flanges adjacent to the downturned flanges of said bracket members and bolted thereto, said plate resting upon the upwardly offset portions of said bracket members and having a depressed reinforcing rib which clears the horizontal portions of said bracket members.

4. A running board saddle comprising a pair of like bracket members adapted to be separately attached to the roof on opposite sides of the ridge, each bracket member having a. vertically extending portion in a plane transverse to the roof, a laterally offset portion above said vertical portion and merging into a horizontally extending -return-bent portion which is symmetrical with respect to the plane of said vertical portion, the outer end of said horizontal portion being upwardly offset, and a pressed sheet metal plate supported at its opposite ends on said upwardly offset portion of said bracket members, said plate having a depressed reinforcing rib terminating adjacent to said upwardly ofiset portions of said bracket members and clearing the horizontally extending return-bent portions thereof.

5. A running board saddle comprising a pair of spaced bracket members having portions located in a common vertical plane extending transversely to the roof, each bracket member having a portion laterally offset from said common plane, I

and a return-bent portionin a horizontal plane which is symmetrical with respect to said vertical plane, and a plate member extending be tween said bracket members and supported thereon, said plate being also symmetrical with respect to said common plane.

DAVID W. HAWKSWORTH. 

